Ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal synthesis and excitation wavelength-dependent luminescence of YBO3:Eu3+ nano-/micro-crystals

• YBO3:Eu3+ phosphors were prepared via ionic liquid assisted hydrothermal process.
• pH values and ionic liquid play an important role on the morphology of products.
• Excitation wavelength-dependent luminescent behavior was found.

Three dimensional (3D) architectures YBO3:Eu3+ phosphors were prepared via ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and photoluminescence (PL). The pH value and ionic liquid play an important role in the control of morphology of products. By comparing with the corresponding bulk, the tyre-like YBO3:5 mol%Eu3+ microspheres demonstrate a red shift of the charge transfer band (CTB), appearance of a long excitation tail at the long wavelength side of the CTB and high improved chromaticity. Two Eu3+ environments in the tyre-like sample, namely interior and outside Eu3+, were found by selective excitation under the different wavelength light. Finally, fluorescent decays and Judd–Ofelt (J–O) theory were utilized to analyze the local crystal environments around Eu3+ ions in the tyre-like and bulk phosphors.

Three dimensional (3D) architectures YBO3:Eu3+ phosphors were prepared via ionic liquid assisted hydrothermal process. The pH values and ionic liquid play an important role on the morphology of products. Excitation wavelength-dependent luminescent behavior was found in the as-prepared tyre-like YBO3:Eu3+ microspheres.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide